Guest blogger, Leah visits Amber Farr of Flynn Skye at her beach house/design studio in Venice Beach, CA to talk about how it all started, and how she continues to amaze us with gorgeous style season after season. Read on for the interview + pics…

LEAH: What inspired you to design your own clothing line and start your company? Did you always have the desire to be a designer?
AMBER: What inspired me? Well, I randomly got asked to design a collection for Planet Blue called Blu Moon. I had never designed a line before, but was excited for the opportunity! It did really well, but decided I needed a break and went back to styling for a while. After about a year off of designing I got the itch again. I didn’t even think about designing until I got the opportunity, but I have always enjoyed making people feel good.

LEAH: What could we have found you doing before you started Flynn Skye?
AMBER: Before Planet hired me to design I had a clothing store called Blonde. I loved it. Before that I was a pro snowboarder. Is that even a job? Ha!

LEAH: Run us through the design process at Flynn Skye…What are the steps from start to finish for each collection?
AMBER: Trying to run you through the design process is almost impossible! People laugh because I am like an idiot savant. Hmmmm the process is fun! I walk around taking visual snapshots of anything that inspires me. It could be a sunset, a woman’s style, or just about anything. One thing can spawn a whole collection. Then I sit with my pattern maker and we sketch things until it looks right, then I pick a fabric and it gets made. I didn’t go to school for this so I just figure things out. Probably not very conventional. Ha

LEAH: In your own words what is the style for every Flynn Skye collection?
AMBER: The style for Flynn Skye is simple bodies with fun prints.

LEAH: What is the inspiration behind the prints and styles of Flynn Skye?
AMBER: I am a Cali raised girl and it shows. I love the laid back vibe of Venice. My friends inspire me. Most of all my daughter inspires me.

LEAH:
Where/when do you find yourself getting most creative and dreaming up new designs for Flynn Skye?
AMBER: Believe it or not as long as I am outside I can find inspiration.

LEAH: At the end of each season how do you reboot your mind to start preparing for the next?
AMBER: In this business there is almost never a time to reboot. It is relentless and unforgiving. If you aren’t designing you are in production. Sometimes both are happening. Then there is the viral marketing, PR, resourcing fabrics…Don’t get me started. 😉

LEAH: When thinking about what’s around the corner for Flynn Skye what are you most excited about?
AMBER: What excites me about Flynn Skye the most is its potential. It is like a baby that is growing everyday and needs nurturing and love. The more you give it the more it gives back. It is a beautiful thing.

LEAH: You are by far the cutest mom to the most adorable girl… what is a typical week for you and Flynn look like? We know the company is named after her so does she ever have a say in what goes on in the office?
AMBER: Oh my gosh I love you! Thank you! I love my little family. It is always an adventure. My kids just go with the flow. Everyday is different. Flynn will definitely give her opinion on everything. Believe it or not, I listen to her because she is the most stylish person I know. She has been raised in the fashion world. I had her downtown buying with me when she was two weeks old. She walked by me the other day and stopped said that my Birkenstocks were ugly and kept going. It’s kind of true, but I love mine!

LEAH: What’s in your closet?
AMBER: What is in my closet is just about everything. I get given a ton and have acquired a nice collection of stuff. I love vintage. As you can imagine I have a ton of Flynn Skye . I am shoe obsessed though I tend to live in my Birk’s, cons, and boots. I am simple though in my head I am fancy.

LEAH: Describe your own personal style…
AMBER: I call my style hobo chic. The opposite of boho! I love anything that feels worn. I tend to feel the best in a yummy tee and jeans. I have to be downtown a lot so there is no room for glamor. Overalls make me smile and I love all my jewelry. Vanessa Mooney, Child of Wild, Torchlight, and Natalie B are all friends so I am lucky and have lots of their stuff!

LEAH: What is your favorite thing about being the owner and designer of Flynn Skye?
AMBER: The best thing of owning Flynn Skye is I only have to answer to me. I try to be the boss I would want to have. My girls Kelsey, Allie, and Mo are a huge reason for the success, but I feel so fortunate to be able to teach them a trade. We always are having fun while creating a thriving business. I mean does it get any better then that?

LEAH: Describe your dream vacation…
AMBER: Funny that I just had my dream vacation minus my boyfriend not being there. I went to Kauai for my really good friend Tori Praver’s wedding. I also had the honor of designing the bridesmaid dresses. It was a bunch of my good friends, on an island, enjoying one another. We hiked to the Napali water falls which are indescribable and basically got to celebrate our good friend. Doesn’t get much better then than that! Sun, friends and nature. Life is good.

LEAH: Favorite Flynn Skye design this season?
AMBER: My favorite style of this season was the Flynn dress in Farm Flower. I am so excited to get the resort collection out as it was my favorite by far.